1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a filtered light for use in connection with vehicles. The filtered light has particular utility in connection with reducing the blinding effect of vehicle headlights on oncoming traffic.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Filtered lights are desirable for reducing the blinding effect of vehicle headlights on oncoming traffic. Vehicle headlights, including those applied to automobiles, trucks, and motorcycles, are well known in the prior art. While they perform adequately in illuminating the road ahead for the vehicle's driver, they have the unfortunate side effect of potentially blinding oncoming motorists and drivers in front of the vehicle. As brighter sources of light, such as halogen lights, have come into widespread use, the blinding problem is exacerbated. Filtered lights overcome this problem by limiting the dispersion of the light beam from the illumination source so that oncoming motorists are not blinded.
The use of display systems having a light source separate from a display device is known in the prior art. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 6,428,198 to Saccomanno et al. discloses a display system having a light source separate from a display device. However, the Saccomanno et al. '198 patent does not have a plurality of opaque tubes, and has further drawbacks of requiring a waveguide.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,982,974 to Davis discloses a releasable light adjustment mechanism for a fiberoptic conductor that adjusts light transmitted through it. However, the Davis '974 patent does not have a plurality of opaque tubes, and additionally does not have a plurality of tubes arranged side-by-side.
Similarly, U.S. Pat. No. 6,483,237 to Eastlund et al. discloses a high intensity discharge lamp with single crystal sapphire envelope that generates a light particular useful for image projection. However, the Eastlund et al. '237 patent does not have a plurality of opaque tubes, and does not have a plurality of tubes arranged side-by-side. 
In addition, U.S. Pat. No. 5,136,480 to Pristash et al. discloses a thin panel illuminator that emits light along the length of a panel. However can does not have opaque tubes, and also requires a waveguide.
Furthermore, U.S. Pat. No. 5,690,408 to de la Peña et al. discloses a fiber optic based lighting for aircraft that transmits light from a centralized light source to a plurality of light emitters via a plurality of fiber-optic fibers. However, the de la Peña et al. '408 patent does not have a plurality of opaque tubes, and further requires a light emitter.
Lastly, U.S. Pat. No. 5,692,091 to Cassarly et al. discloses compact optical coupling systems that couple non-coherent light from a source of light to a light distribution harness. However, the Cassarly et al. '091 patent does not have a plurality of opaque tubes, and has the additional deficiency of lacking a plurality of tubes arranged side-by-side.
While the above-described devices fulfill their respective, particular objectives and requirements, the aforementioned patents do not describe a filtered light that allows reducing the blinding effect of vehicle headlights on oncoming traffic. The Saccomanno et al. '198 patent, the Davis '974 patent, the Eastlund et al. '237 patent, the Pristash et al. '480 patent, the de la Peña et al. '408 patent, and the Cassarly et al. '091 patent make no provision for a plurality of opaque tubes. The Saccomanno et al. '198 patent and the Pristash et al. '480 patent have further drawbacks of requiring a waveguide. The Davis '974 patent, the Eastlund et al. '237 patent, and the Cassarly et al. '091 patent do not have a plurality of tubes arranged side-by-side. The de la Peña et al. '408 patent has the disadvantages of requiring a light emitter.
Therefore, a need exists for a new and improved filtered light that can be used for reducing the blinding effect of vehicle headlights on oncoming traffic. In this regard, the present invention substantially fulfills this need. In this respect, the filtered light according to the present invention substantially departs from the conventional concepts and designs of the prior art, and in doing so provides an apparatus primarily developed for the purpose of reducing the blinding effect of vehicle headlights on oncoming traffic.